A lens-controlling device controls a first lens unit which moves for zooming and a second lens unit which moves for correcting the displacement of an image plane caused by zooming and for focusing. The lens-controlling device includes a memory which stores data for obtaining target-position information representing a target position to which the second lens unit is to be moved, the target position corresponding to a position to which the first lens unit is moved from a current position and a controller which generates the target-position information on the basis of the data and controls the movement of the second lens unit on the basis of position information of the first lens unit and the target-position information.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A lens-controlling device for controlling a first lens unit which moves for zooming and a second lens unit which moves for focusing, the lens-controlling device comprising: a memory which stores data for obtaining target-position information representing a target position to which the second lens unit is to be moved, the target position corresponding to a position to which the first lens unit is moved from a current position; a controller which generates the target-position information on the basis of the data stored in the memory and controls the movement of the second lens unit on the basis of position information of the first lens unit and the target-position information; and a detector which detects a distance to an object to be focused on, wherein the controller selects data items to be used from the data stored in the memory on the basis of a detection result obtained by the detector.
2. The lens-controlling device according to claim 1 , wherein the data stored in the memory includes positional relationships between the first lens unit and the second lens unit for a plurality of distances to the object to be focused on.
3. The lens-controlling device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the movement of the second lens unit on the basis of focus information representing a focus state of an optical system including the first lens unit and the second lens unit, the focus information being obtained from a photoelectric conversion signal of an optical image formed by the optical system.
4. The lens-controlling device according to claim 3 , wherein the controller changes driving conditions of the second lens unit such that the second lens unit moves to a position where the object is in focus according to the focus information during zooming.
5. The lens-controlling device according to claim 4 , wherein the controller restricts the change in the driving conditions of the second lens unit when a moving speed of the first lens unit is a predetermined speed or more.
6. The lens-controlling device according to claim 4 , wherein the controller restricts the change in the driving conditions of the second lens unit when a recording time of an image signal is a predetermined time or more.
7. The lens-controlling device according to claim 4 , wherein the controller restricts the change in the driving conditions of the second lens unit when a brightness level of an image signal is a predetermined level or less.
8. The lens-controlling device according to claim 4 , wherein the controller restricts the change in the driving conditions of the second lens unit when a recording mode of an image signal is a predetermined mode.
9. The lens-controlling device according to claim 4 , wherein the controller restricts the change in the driving conditions of the second lens unit when a focal length of the optical system is a predetermined distance.
10. A method for controlling a first lens unit which moves for zooming and a second lens unit which moves for focusing, the method comprising the steps of: storing data for obtaining target-position information representing a target position to which the second lens unit is to be moved in a memory, the target position corresponding to a position to which the first lens unit is moved from a current position; generating the target-position information on the basis of the data stored in the memory; controlling the movement of the second lens unit on the basis of position information of the first lens unit and the target-position information; and detecting a distance to an object to be focused on, wherein, data items to be used in the step of generating the target-position information are selected from the data stored in the memory on the basis of the distance to the object.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 1, 2004
March 21, 2006
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